Workshops
with
Andrea Hunter

Workshops

with Andrea Hunter

If you wish your details to be added on the mailing list for future workshops please contact me...

Workshop Details

The workshops take place in Andrea’s lovely studio in the small village of Hardraw, with extensive views of Wensleydale. It is a perfect setting for a day of creativity shared with like minded people. There will only be 5 students at each workshop, ensuring lots of individual attention and masses of enthusiasm in a friendly relaxed atmosphere. If you are a textile enthusiast looking for guidance in transferring drawing and painting skills into felt making, or an artist wishing to explore felt as a drawing medium without the use of needle felting or stitching, Andrea has years of knowledge to share. Techniques to achieve subtle detail, depth, movement and definition which are so distinctive of Andrea’s work will be demonstrated to give you the skills to create very fine felt pictures and the confidence to develop your own style of painting with wool.

Image
Image
"Hawthorn Tree"

Drawing With Wool Workshop

Ideal for the beginner. Andrea will guide you through the basics of creating a very thin wet felt picture and introduce you to her principal drawing with wool techniques.
Students will create a picture like the image seen here, the composition and detail will be the same but the colours may be varied to your taste. Your picture will be approximately 35cm square. Andrea has tailored this class to the beginner who wants to learn how to create very fine detailed wet felt pictures with out the use of needle felting or stitching. You will be guided through the basic techniques and introduced to her principal mark making techniques which are so distinctive of her work. Andrea will demonstrate how to achieve subtle detail, depth, movement and texture. Andrea's book “ Creating Felt Pictures” is a useful accompaniment to this workshop.
You will be guided through the process to make an image similar to the "Hawthorn Tree" image shown here...

Creating Felt Pictures Workshop. Advanced Level

This advanced class will suit the more experienced felt maker as it builds on the skills demonstrated in the “ Drawing With Wool Workshop”, with detailed demonstrations of how to make and use pre-felt. Andrea will discuss what pre-felt is and the importance of this technique in helping create definition and depth within a picture, for example as seen here in the tree trunks of this woodland scene.
Students will create a picture like the image seen here, the composition and detail will be the same but the colours may be varied to your taste. Your picture will be approximately 30 x 40cm.

Andrea has tailored this class to those who have a basic understanding of how merino wool felts and are confident in using the mark making techniques used in the previous workshop. The use of pre-felt in wet felt pictures is the technique which really puts Andrea’s work on a different level illustrating unparalleled skill in creating amazing depth within her work.

Andrea's book “ Creating Felt Pictures” is a useful accompaniment to this workshop.
You will be guided through the process to make an image similar to the "Morning Walk" image shown here...

Image "Morning Walk"


How do I get on a workshop?

The workshop dates are announced the first week in November for the following year. If you are interested in attending one or two of the workshops please email and request your details to be added to the mailing list.
Andrea’s workshops are always in high demand thus when the dates are announced you are advised to book early to avoid disappointment.
Students wishing to have a full creative weekend are very welcome to book on both workshops.
If you wish to extend your time in Wensleydale we have a cottage which we let on a weekly basis see the accommodation page...

The cost of each place on the workshop is £150 this includes –

  • Andrea’s expert tuition.
  • All Merino Wool Tops and textures to be used on the day.
  • Plenty of individual attention with a maximum of 5 students to each class.
  • Tea, coffee and biscuits. Lunch is NOT included.

Time and Place

  • 10am until 3:30pm
  • At the Focus on Felt studio, Hardraw. Nr Hawes. North Yorks. DL8 3LZ

Any Questions please telephone - 01969 667 644
Hawes Tourist Information - 01969 666210 for B&B accommodation or
Upper Dales Holiday Cottages...


Reviews...

Dear Andrea,
"I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your workshop. It far exceeded any expectations I had and I learned such a lot. You struck a good balance between leaving us alone and intervening only when we needed your ideas/support. Also there was a relaxed atmosphere at the same time as being really work focussed. Thank you! I always have lots of ideas, but now I have a much better idea of how I can put them into felt form. Good luck with all your wonderful projects."
Best wishes
Margaret Smith

Dear Andrea,
"Just had to let you know how very thrilled I am with the felt picture produced at the workshop. More than that, it was such a great day - being completely new to felting and not knowing what to expect the workshop enabled me to not only learn felting techniques, but work with creativity in producing what is both craft and a work of art. I'm inspired to go on and produce some efforts at home (albeit on a smaller scale) with assistance from hubby on the rolling!!!
Thanks again for a great experience"
Regards, Pat Roberts

Hi Andrea,
"I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your workshop yesterday. Your techniques are amazing and you are extremely generous in sharing them. I am looking forward to exploring them further, especially the layering technique which is so like building up washes in watercolour. I loved working in such a sensitive way and with so little soap and water. It was a revelation to me and means that I can now make felt without worrying about saturating the floor! Thank you so much for a lovely and totally inspiring day!"
Best wishes,
Pam Harrington

Hi Andrea,
"Just to say thank you for all your advice and help at the workshop in August. It was lovely to meet you and I learned so much. Your calm reassurance and practical examples made creating a wet felted picture more achievable and I was really pleased with what I was able to produce, although I was quite nervous. The pieces I have produced since the workshop are a huge improvement on previous work. I am more thoughtful about the pre-felt I make now and have attempted several trees using your layering technique, which is just magic. And I always keep the mantra in mind...."keep it thin!"
Wishing you all the best."
Eileen Webber

Dear Andrea
"I would like to thank you for such an enjoyable and inspiring day. You provided such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and made all of us feel comfortable. I appreciated the way you taught, in a relaxed style, and how you showed me how to improve the piece I was working on in a sensitive way without taking over at all, I came away feeling the work was my own but with so much help from your knowledge and experience. I also came away feeling totally inspired and with lots of new techniques and tips that I thought it was very generous of you to share. I love the process of feltmaking and seeing how you have taken it to such a level inspires me to work at it. I love landscape and am aware how it is folly to copy anothers style, my work must be my own and come from the heart. I came aware with a determination to really look at what I am trying to portray and not to be too hasty. Also a big learning for me was to THINK THIN with the wool and be more delicate in my approach. Thank you again for a brilliant workshop, if you ever have any cancellations, or you decide to run any more, please let me know as I would love another opportunity to learn from you."
very best wishes
Nicola.

Dear Andrea
"I came to your felt workshop in May with two friends. It was a fantastic day where we learnt a lot and came away with a picture to be proud of. Thanks to your detailed instructions presented in an un rushed one on one Friendly and encouraging manner it was great fun too. I would highly recommend your course and would love to come again to learn some different techniques"
All the best
Theda